The Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres considered this Thursday “especially alarming” the series of attacks launched by Israel against the airport of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and several ports and electrical infrastructures in Yemen.
In a statement issued by Guterres’ deputy spokesperson, Stéphanie Tremblay, the United Nations secretary general firstly condemned the escalation of tensions between Israel and the Houthis of Yemen, and in particular the Israeli attacks today, which left six dead.
Attacks on ports and airport “pose a serious risk to humanitarian operations at a time when millions of people need life-saving aid” in a country that is not only the poorest in the Arab world, but has suffered a devastating civil war for more than ten years.
“International legality, including humanitarian laws, must be respected at all times,” said Guterres, who also called for “respecting and protecting citizens and civilian infrastructure,” while recalling that “humanitarian personnel should not be targeted.” of attacks, but of respect and protection”.
Guterres was referring to the presence at the Sana’a airport, at the time of the Israeli attack, of a delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO), led by its director, Tedros Ghebreyesus, who emerged unharmed, although a member of his delegation was injured.
Ghebreyesus was in Sana’a to negotiate with the Yemeni authorities the release – or at least humanitarian assistance – for UN personnel and some NGOs illegally detained by the Houthis for months.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Nathanaelassured that the Jewish State will persist in its attacks on Yemen “until completing the task” of neutralizing the Houthis of that country, calling them “Iran’s terrorist arm.”
CT